Category: Vaping News

“Effective July 1, 2020, an excise tax is levied and imposed on sales of e-cigarette liquid at the rate of $1.00 per milliliter or fraction thereof, or if not sold, then at the same rate upon the use by the wholesaler or dealer. For purposes of this article, any distributor, dealer, subjobber, subjobber dealer, retailer, or any other person that imports or transports e-cigarette liquids into this state, or that causes e-cigarette liquids to be imported or transported into this state, is hereby deemed to be a wholesaler for purposes of this section and is liable for the tax imposed under this article. No wholesaler or other person may purchase e-cigarette liquids from any seller not approved by the Tax Commissioner. E-cigarette liquid mixing kits and e-cigarette liquid mixing kit components shall be taxed in accordance with the amount of e-cigarette liquid, in milliliters, that can be produced by or from the kit or components thereof, as determined by the Tax Commissioner.”

LEGISLATION LINK:

WEST VIRGINIA SENATE BILL 735

“Many Chinese factories remain closed, and there is widespread fear that vaping hardware won’t be shipped to the U.S. until as late as April. The city, which connects Hong Kong to China’s mainland, is commonly referred to as the “vaping capital of the world.” But the coronavirus virus had transformed into an epidemic, and few people were returning to work, on government orders. About 90 percent of the world’s vaping and e-cigarette hardware is produced in Shenzhen, in close to 1,000 factories. If the Chinese government keeps many of its citizens away from work for much longer, there could soon be a significant delay on shipments of vaping products, if not an outright shortage.”

ARTICLE LINK:

Coronavirus Could Lead to a US Vape Shortage

“The public has never been more misinformed about vaping with stories ranging from heart problems to lung disease. The corrupt MSA-fuelled (Master Settlement Agreement) American measures have been replicated around the world, and people (in ever growing numbers) actually believe ecigs are more dangerous than cigarettes. This has sparked a bizarre turn of events as investors pile their investment money back into Big Tobacco.”

ARTICLE LINK:

Anti-Vape Attacks Fuel Big-T Stocks

“The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has opened a docket to obtain data and information related to the use of vaping products that are associated with e-cigarette, or vaping, product use-associated lung injury (EVALI). This request for information responds to direction from Congress to gather information from the public that could help identify and evaluate additional steps the FDA could take to address the recent lung injuries associated with the use of vaping products and to help prevent similar occurrences in the future. The FDA is seeking unpublished data or information related to the use of vaping products that are associated with recent lung injuries including information on specific chemicals, compounds, ingredients or combinations of ingredients that when inhaled or aerosolized, may be associated with EVALI symptoms, as well as product design and potential ways to prevent consumers from modifying or adding substances to these products that are not intended by the manufacturers.”

BILL TARLING – Unfortunately, the agencies continue to misue the generic usage of “vaping” to conflate the legal adult nicotine based E-liquid Vape Products [EVP] with the illegal THC products that are causing the illnesses and deaths

ARTICLE LINK:

FDA Seeking input

“Centura Health, one of Colorado’s largest health systems, made waves when it started testing for nicotine and refused to hire those who tested positive back in 2014. As of this year, King said Centura Health decided to change its policy. Instead of turning away job candidates who test positive for nicotine, King said those candidates can now be hired and would be given optional resources to quit if they are brought aboard. Contrary to popular belief, King also said the health group did a review and found that not hiring nicotine users didn’t lower health care costs for its employer-provided health insurance — which is often the No. 1 driver for companies considering these policies. Colorado’s lifestyle protection law states that employers can’t fire an employee for what they do “legally” outside work, but it doesn’t say anything about hiring. “You can be discriminated [against] for legal activities outside work before you’re hired,” said Kevin O’Brien, a workplace expert and business law associate professor at the University of Denver.”

BILL TARLING — Sadly, Colorado anti-vaping regulations are forcing more and more vape shops out of business, which means the State is removing one of the most successful tools to help create ex-smokers

ARTICLE LINK:

U-Haul’s move to stop hiring smokers reignites debate in Colo. about nicotine-free hiring policies

“A ban on the sale and distribution of flavored vaping products will not move forward in the Oregon Legislature this session after an analysis of the revenue impact of a ban caused the bill to lose Democratic support. The analysis, given to lawmakers by a tobacco industry lobbyist, showed that if voters passed an increase and expansion of the tobacco tax in November and the vaping ban in Senate Bill 1577 passed, the state could lose $5.4 million in revenue this biennium and $22.6 million in the next biennium. If the bill was amended to include a ban on other flavored products — such as menthol cigarettes and moist snuff — the losses could exceed $70 million in the current biennium and $227 million in the next. The bill is schedule to have a work session Thursday afternoon. It is expected to receive an amendment that would remove the ban but add a licensure component.”

ARTICLE LINK:

Oregon Senate bill to ban flavored vaping products dead after revenue concerns

“Colorado state lawmakers took the first step Wednesday night towards new regulations of nicotine and tobacco use in Colorado. The House Health and Insurance Committee passed HB20-1001 with a 9-1 vote Wednesday night. Similar to new federal regulations, It would raise the consumption age for tobacco and nicotine to 21 with some additional regulations specific to Colorado. The bill states that after July 1 of 2021, all businesses that sell the products must be licensed with the state. This means retailers would be subject to compliance checks and complaint investigations. The bill also increases the fine for selling to minors — up to $15,000 for repeat offenders. One big change proponents of the bill are excited about is online regulation. The bill moves next to the Committee on Finance.”

ARTICLE LINK:

Colorado 4th Grader Shows Lawmakers How Easy It Is To Get Vaping Products

COLORADO HB20-1001

Nicotine Product Regulation

“The Journal of the American Heart Association published a study by Stanton Glantz last year. In it, he made the fallacious claim that vaping causes heart attacks. Professor Brad Rodu discovered serious flaws in the research, letters were sent to the Journal, but its editors are refusing to act responsibly and take down the work. The study, conducted by Stanton Glantz and Dharma Bhatta, drew swift rebuke for its use of data. The headline finding was quickly embraced by the unquestioning media, but genuine experts could see the glaring flaws.”

ARTICLE LINK:

Journal Doubles Down to Protect Glantz

“Published in French on Vapolitique, SOVAPE’s Philippe Poirson’s article has been translated by European consumer group ETHRA. In it, Poirson calls out the World Health Organisation (WHO) for its misinformation and scientific denialism. It raises a large question mark over whether the English and the French should “continue to finance this propaganda”.”

ARTICLE LINK:

WHO’s Scientific Denialism

“HB58 goes before the House Education Committee and addresses student use of alcohol, tobacco, electronic cigarette products and other substances through education and prevention programs as well as discipline policies. Among other things, the bill would require local school boards to adopt discipline policies to address possession and use of electronic cigarette products on school grounds; rename the Underage Drinking Prevention Program the Underage Drinking and Substance Abuse Prevention Program; and add a requirement to teach a school-based prevention program for students in fourth and fifth grades.”

ARTICLE LINK:

Utah House committee to discuss e-cigarettes in schools

HOUSE BILL
H.B. 58 Electronic Cigarettes in Schools Amendments

UPDATE [HB58 Passed]: “A committee unanimously passed a bill that would establish clearer policies for vaping on school property and empower schools to create programs to tackle student usage of cigarettes and other negative behaviors through prosocial intervention.”

Committee passes bill to empower schools to tackle e-cigarette usage